To Humble a Wise Man
by Mistress Slytherin
Summary: Sequel to A Wise Man Once Said, Harry thinks he's going mad, will the truth of the past reveal its self before he loses his sanity? Or will a rising dark lord ruin everything he's achieved? In Harry's world nothing is what it seems.
1. Chapter 1

**Right, ****SEQUEL of A wise man once said so, if you didn't read that story than this one will make very little sense to you so I suggest you go back and read it if you haven't already...yeah, now, on with this story; it's relatively short, I almost wanted to just add it to the other but figured I might as well post it separately. Some twisties and turnies a bit depressing, but I promise you- well no I can't promise you anything because I hate spoilers hehe, so you lot will just have to read and review. Let me know what you think I'll post frequently because this story is complete so no worries about long stretches where you don't get anything. Ah, and if you are looking for steamy- you won't find it here, this story is all fluff and emotions though there will be one scene later on, very short though, I didn't really want this story to be about sex and nothing else... Any way here you go do review!**

**warnings;**

**HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONSHIP**

**BLOOD, GORE (NOT TOO MUCH)**

**ANGST**

**SOME RELIGIOUS VIEWPOINTS (NOT NECESSARILY MINE, AND NOT MEANT TO CONVINCE ANYONE OF ANYTHING)**

**right, I think that about covers it, love you all!**

**Mistress Slytherin**

-1-

"Harry?" Charlie's soft entreaty was like silk to his ears, gentle, warm, perfect. He loved Charlie, he really did but…

"Sorry, I thought I saw…" He trailed off frowning as he looked around him. He shook his head suddenly annoyed with himself. "Damn." He hissed clenching his fists. Larger warmer ones surrounded his and Charlie smiled at him gently.

"Harry don't worry so much." He said reaching up and cupping his cheek.

"It's been two years damn it!" Harry snapped turning his glare to the side. Charlie didn't deserve his glare, not ever.

"The healer said that there would be side effects luv." Charlie repeated. It seemed like Charlie would always be repeating these words to him. Harry pulled his hand away and absently rubbed at the ache in his chest. Two years ago he'd woken from a five month long healing coma, what he faced was a world that didn't quite make sense.

Ginny…Ginny was gone and somehow the Weasleys had found it in them to accept him anyway, to accept the fact that it was his fault that she was little more than a drooling body. And there was an ache, a constant nagging ache that sat in his very bones and settled in his chest flaring to life every so often, usually after one of those moments, where he'd find himself distracted. He supposed it had something to do with Ginny; after all they had been married for ten years, the blow from her Demantor's kiss…

"I'm sorry Charlie." He said softly. He felt awful, he was such a screw up! Seeing things that weren't there, hearing things that he couldn't describe

"Hey, no Harry, never be sorry." Charlie came around the desk and Harry sank into his arms. He loved Charlie so much that it hurt, though he never knew why it hurt.

"I love you." He said softly. Charlie's breath hitched, the way it always did when Harry told him that he loved him.

"Harry…" Charlie always seemed in pain when Harry said this though he couldn't tell why. Did loving Harry hurt Charlie the way it hurt him? Well he supposed he couldn't blame the other man. "I love you Hare bear." Charlie said smiling slightly before pecking him on the cheek and pulling away. Harry smiled at his lover and accepted the offered hand as his other hand reached for his cane. During his battle with Ginny his left side had been destroyed, the damage had been too extensive to heal properly the first time and Harry's treatments had to be scheduled so that at least three months had passed between each one so that the lingering traces of previous potions could be cleared from his system. It was agony, and he was pretty sure he could say that fixing the damage done hurt worse than when it had happened- though he couldn't actually remember it happening. Still, only a few more treatments and he would be able to walk without the cane though he was certain there would always be a limp in his left leg.

"How were the brats?" Harry said with a half grin. After he'd woken from his coma Harry had found himself facing Minerva McGonagall of all people, the headmistress had stated quite plainly that she was retiring and that he would take her place. There was no argument, no discussion; Harry couldn't fathom a reason not to. He was a cripple, he had quit his job as head Auror with honors, and he had no idea what to do with himself otherwise. Of course, as soon as Charlie heard he was taking the position he decided to take on a part time job as an elective course Professor who focused on training students who were interested in becoming Dragon keepers.

"Rowdy." Charlie said with a fond smile. "I made the mistake of telling them that I would be bringing a real dragon for them to interact with at the beginning of the lesson, they couldn't settle down after that." He said shaking his head. Harry smiled faintly as they approached the old gargoyle.

"They were just distracted by your good looks." Harry said with a wink. Charlie smiled widely and pretended to look morose.

"Oh Harry but you've ruined me! I couldn't even tell!" He said with a gasp as they halted outside of the statue.

"Wormwood." Harry said easily causing the statue to turn. Charlie's smile faltered briefly but Harry missed it as he climbed onto the first step which carried them up. "I'll have to have you try those new lemon cookies the elves make Charlie." Harry said absently as they reached the top and he pushed the door open. "Their almost as good as your-"

Charlie watched as Harry's eyes glossed over his voice cutting off mid-sentence. His heart lurched and gut wrenching pain sat in the lining of his stomach. It was happening more frequently. He swallowed as he glanced across the room where the empty portrait was hung. For a while just after the war Snape's portrait would flicker into and out of existence, he'd found out later through Hermione that Harry would at times stake out in the headmaster's office, just sitting there and waiting for Snape's portrait to arrive.

"S-Sssss" Harry's mouth opened and closed his green eyes haunted with longing and Charlie knew that he couldn't take much more of this. He loved Harry, more than anyone else in the world, and it was killing him to see Harry like this. Even if it meant giving Harry up to another man, if Harry could just be happy…But times were tough. Charlie didn't even begin to know where to start to find Snape, there was a dark lord on the rise and Harry was too broken to fight him. He was the headmaster of Hogwarts now, not the destroyer of dark lords, and Charlie could see how much it was breaking Harry. The wizarding world had hardly glanced at Harry's crippled leg before bemoaning a horrible loss to come. Now the only good Harry was to them was as the headmaster, no one would be willing to attack Hogwarts with the destroyer of dark lords watching over her.

"Snape." Charlie said watching with a broken heart as tears streamed down Harry's cheeks. A sob escaped Harry before all at once it was gone and Harry was left blinking in confusion his hand coming up to rub that spot on his chest.

"Charlie?" Harry whispered his eyes suddenly very, very lost. Charlie enveloped his lover and held him tightly. "Sad…so sad…why am I sad Charlie? We were talking about lemon cookies…" He sobbed uncontrollably and Charlie knew he had to do something. They had tried, he had done everything to give Harry what he now knew Harry would only find in Snape, but it was killing him.

"Harry? Harry hush love, Harry look at me-" Harry's head shot up then and Charlie had a fleeting hope when he saw that Harry's eyes were crystal clear for a moment.

"Draco, go to Draco he knows, he always knows where to find him-" Harry choked and his eyes turned glassy again. Charlie couldn't believe what he'd just seen but then Harry was slumping in his arms cane falling to the floor with a clatter and Charlie could swear he felt his heart shatter with the sound. Charlie pulled Harry into his arms and whimpered quietly into the slumbering body.

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"And just where do you think _you're_ going?" Draco Malfoy stood by the door eyebrows raised as he examined his father who was cursing under his breath as the wards prevented him from leaving his own home. Draco Malfoy had grown during the last several years, he was a father, he had a family to protect and with the dark lord on the loose he'd finally given in and put his home on lock down only leaving it very occasionally when society demanded his presence. He'd nearly lost his father to this dark lord, and then his wife and daughter when he refused to join when offered, so he'd done what every good Slytherin does when threatened. He struck back violently before securing his home and hiding within the impressive walls.

"Damn it Draco let me free!" Lucius cursed. House arrest did not bode well for Lucius Malfoy; house arrest while presumed legally dead was like spitting on the grave he hadn't even filled yet.

"No." Draco said evenly. "You can't leave the wards father, if you do, all of our lives will be destroyed." Draco said pursing his lips. "Is that what you want?" Draco said unforgiving. "I've tried doing this the nice way with you father, but instead of honoring your word to your own son you turned to the new dark lord. I'm done being nice father, especially when the lives of my wife and child are at stake." He said coldly.

"Draco I just want to fish for information, I'll take a cloak, disguise myself and sit in a pub that is all, now _put_ me_ down_." He bit out. Draco pursed his lips and shook his head.

"You don't even give a damn about us." He said quietly. Lucius' anger fell away.

"Draco…"

"No." Draco said softly. "You don't. You didn't care during the war with you-know-who when our family honor was dragged through the mud and you don't care now after all I've done to secure it and erase what you've destroyed!" Draco spat. "The second I let you out you'll go begging and scraping to the next dark lord you'll meet!" He was furious now old hurts mixing with stress and forming a volatile anger.

"Draco darling?" Daphne said slipping into the room. He didn't bother turning to look at her.

"Not now." He said sharply before turning his attention back to his father. "I nearly _died_ because of you and mother-" he choked on the words.

"I'll not join Draco this isn't-"

"How the hell am I supposed to believe that?!" Draco roared.

"Draco-" Daphne said sounding bored.

"I SAID NOT NOW!" Draco roared at her spinning on his heel to face her. Ooops. Her eyes narrowed and her face hardened.

"Then I suppose I'll just tell Charles Weasley that you are unavailable and send him away shall I?" She said dangerously. Draco had half a second to regret his actions before he was cursing and rushing from the room. There was only one reason the bastard would have contacted him and that reason was Harry. He strode into the drawing room and noted the brief flicker of agony in the man's eyes before fearing the worst.

"Where is he? Is he alright? Has he been hurt? Fuck it was the dark lord wasn't it?!" Draco said in alarm. The redhead looked up at him tiredly and fidgeted with his tea cup before shaking his head slowly and settling it down.

"Harry's…fine for the most part. I didn't come for that." He said softly. Draco let out a sigh and felt relief flood him before curiosity and concern.

"What is it then?" He demanded. The redhead seemed to choke for a moment before closing his eyes.

"I love him." He whispered. Draco felt jealousy rise.

"Congratulations." He spat hatefully. Weasley smiled thinly.

"I love him so much that I can't do this any more, I need to find Snape Draco." He said softly but firmly. Draco felt the air escape his lungs and he carefully sat down so as to refrain from toppling over.

"Has he remembered?" Draco whispered. The redhead shook his head.

"No, but the memory charms won't hold up much longer, I didn't think it was possible for someone to throw off a memory charm like that, but then Harry has always been one to beat impossible odds." Charlie said shaking his head. Draco frowned.

"Throwing off a memory charm?" He said incredulously.

"It was little things at first. His sudden interest in Potions, restlessness, I almost expected Harry to take up a hobby or two after having to leave such a busy lifestyle and the restlessness was expected but…" He trailed off and sighed. "It's like his fighting his own mind Malfoy, he gets these moments where he just stops and stares ahead or he becomes completely distracted by something that isn't there." He shook his head.

"Or someone." Draco whispered. Charlie nodded. "How did you know to come here?" Draco said quietly. Charlie paled and Draco's eyes widened. "He told you." He guessed. Charlie nodded and buried his face in his hands.

"I'm sure I don't have to tell you this Draco, but Harry loves him, on a far deeper level than anything I have ever witnessed before and I've worked with creatures that mate for life." He said sighing. "It's not right, what we're doing isn't right! It isn't making him happy like we thought it would it's tearing him apart!" Charlie was suddenly standing and pacing his expression torn. "He thinks he's going mad and hell maybe he is! Who knows what kind of strain this could be having on his mind?! I need to get to Snape Malfoy, before Harry damages himself trying to find a man that for him doesn't exist!" He said passionately. Draco hadn't seen Weasley act like this since Harry had been in a coma, the man was nearly unshakable; he had to be after working with dragons for so long, more than anything, this was what convinced Draco of the seriousness of the situation.

Severus would kill him though.

But what Weasley didn't know was that Severus was killing himself by _not_ contacting Potter. Draco hadn't seen the man smile once since he had parted ways with Potter.

"Okay Weasley I'll bite, but I warn you now, it's going to hurt you. Probably worse than anything you've ever felt to let him go." He warned softly. Weasley looked at him with half mad tormented eyes.

"It already does Malfoy, but I knew what I was getting into when I started this." He whispered brokenly. Draco smiled wryly and nodded his own ache building in his chest even as he nodded.

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Harry stared at the invitation in his hands. He'd been afraid of this. Due to his health he hadn't been able to defend their world from the dark lord, the bastard, whomever he was had been clever enough to close down Harry's channels while he was in a coma. Harry had done what he could with the resources that he had but it wasn't enough, all he could hope to do was protect Hogwarts. He sighed heavily as the heavy paper slipped from his fingers and landed on his desk.

The dark lord had laid claim to the ministry.

The smug bastard was inviting him to the celebration too. Harry grit his teeth and stood leaning heavily on his cane as he moved towards the window staring down at the grounds below.

Going could quite possibly be suicide.

Ignoring the invitation could endanger Hogwarts. Sighing heavily he leaned his forehead against the window allowing the cool glass to calm him. Children had no place in war. Briefly he thought of the little girl, Celia who's only fault had been that she had been in the wrong place at the wrong time, the little girl with wide blue eyes- he wondered idly whatever happened to the girl he'd risked his life to protect. Pursing his lips he lifted his chin and stared out the window, a new light in his eyes. If going tonight meant death than so be it, even if it made him a martyr-

-suddenly he was in the dungeons. Harry frowned and looked around at the old abandoned potions classroom. Blast it he'd done it again! He swallowed in fright and lifted his hand to cover his mouth as nausea threatened to overwhelm him only to thwap himself in the face with a book he'd apparently been holding.

"What the devil?!" He sneered clutching his nose as it throbbed before glaring down at the offending book. It was…a text book, but it was more than just that wasn't it? He stared at the book for a long moment before opening the front cover. "Property of the half-blood Prince." He whispered to himself. Suddenly he found himself certain that this was his book. But what was it doing down here? This room hadn't been used since _he_ had been a student and he would certainly have remembered such a unique book! He frowned down at it for a moment longer before shaking his head and tucking it under his arm and checking the time. Oh dear nearly half the day was gone! He had to get ready for the party.

He halted briefly and his eyes dimmed again. His very own death day party, Charlie was going to kill him!

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Charlie cursed as he put the pieces together. "Damn you." He cursed under his breath. "Damn you Harry Potter!" He shouted before snagging his coat and the note Harry had left him and striding through the floo without care towards his own life.

Harry stared about him casually and noticed the looks he was receiving, there were many people that hadn't been brave enough (or perhaps foolish enough) to have attended this event. For all he knew it could be a massacre, but he doubted it. He knew dark lords well enough to know when one was rubbing salt into fresh wounds a mile away. After all he was here wasn't he? Perhaps he would finally get a look at this dark lord- though he doubted this as well; a dark lord like this one would be clever enough to hide behind the face of another, like he did with Ginny. It helped him pick off his enemies before they even knew what he looked like. It was a brilliant yet underhanded tactic and Harry found himself acknowledging that he could do nothing to stop it except duck his head and wait for a better time to strike-

That is if he survived tonight.

He smiled faintly as others seemed to steer well away from him where normally they would be climbing over each other to get to him.

"Mind if I join you?" Neville said smiling faintly at him his expression slightly nervous. Harry smiled slightly.

"It might get you killed." He warned frankly. Neville let out a nervous laugh before coming to stand beside him in a show of true Gryffindor brashness.

"Well I guess we'll just be pariahs together then." He said bravely. Harry snorted.

"Funny that you say that." He said leaning heavily on his cane. "I was just beginning to enjoy the pariah thing; I've never felt so comfortable at a party before." He said swiping two glasses of wine from a tray and handing one to Neville.

"Always being fawned over huh?" Neville said gazing into his wine with a hesitant smile on his lips. Harry's smile grew.

"Fawned over? More like groped, did you know I invented a spell to prevent being groped?" He said just as Neville was about to take a sip of wine. Neville barely saved himself from spitting it all out in one go as he laughed heartily.

"Oi! You did that on purpose!" Neville accused. Harry grinned.

"Of course I did, someone has to keep you on your toes." He said sipping his wine. A hush fell over the room and Harry glanced up to see robed figures stride through the room lining the walls their wands drawn.

"Presenting the dark lord bringer of a new and glorious era!" A man said loudly. There were a few excited mutters and whispers, a few fearful gasps, it was all very dramatic. Harry watched idly as the tall man stepped through the doors and slid his hood down revealing his face for the first time. Harry raised his eyebrows. The man certainly had the looks of a dark lord, but one look at his eyes proved that the man was a fake. Harry sipped his wine thoughtfully as the dark haired blue eyed man gazed around calmly playing his part to a T before his gaze landed on Harry and a smirk tilted across his lips. Harry tilted his head in salute well aware of the murmurs that shifted through the room as the man climbed gracefully down the steps.

"Headmaster Potter, well, this _is_ a surprise." The man said silkily. Pureblood then, his stature and grace lent its self to early training, the cut of his hair and robes to old money, the way he held his wand…curse breaker, and a good one too. This was a scholar, but deep down he was a coward and Harry knew it.

"Really?" Harry said mildly tilting his head to the side. "I _was_ invited." He said pointedly. "Unless this is the wrong party…if that's the case do forgive me for intruding, I find my mind wanders quite often these days, curse damage you see." He said casually. The man _twitched_. He was good, but he was no dark lord. If that twitch was anything to go by the man was they type who _hated_ being undermined. He was probably the sort that got very little if any recognition on a day to day basis. Harry kept his gaze neutral.

"I half expected to see you here with an army Potter, instead- an Herbolagist? Potter and the plant head, how quaint." Harry smiled faintly as a smattering of false laughter filled the air. That wasn't supposed to happen, the man was showing through his resentment and it was going to cost him. Harry smiled thinly and visibly sized the man up playing on his insecurities and his rage with a single look. Now all he needed was a trigger. He leaned closer to the man and made sure his voice was low enough that no matter how the others strained they wouldn't hear what he was saying.

"Such a failure, you can't even pretend to be the dark lord, if I were you I would run little boy, because while it's obvious that you have never killed and don't in fact have to balls to kill, I do, and I _will_." He said softly before pulling back and offering the white lipped man a beaming smile. Blue eyes grew terrified and Harry smiled grimly as they darted to the one place he'd been hoping that they wouldn't go before the man breathed deeply.

"This isn't over Potter." He grit out before turning and walking away.

"You know Neville." Harry said calmly as he shifted his leg and adjusted his cuff. "I've thought often of taking up Herbology." He said idly.

"Oh yeah?" Neville said quietly.

"It's quite an admirable subject really; it takes an abnormal amount of patience and perseverance, and intelligence too! Merlin does it take intelligence, I can't tell you how many times I screwed up the chemical composition of the soil! I studied for weeks without fail and still couldn't get the algorisms correct." He said shaking his head. "Plants are such subtle things too, you hardly notice them growing and strengthening until they seem to have taken over- the devils snare for example! I tried to grow some once, I thought it would be a good idea to use it to protect my office when I was still in the ministry but it just got everywhere!" he said chuckling slightly though his voice was tight.

"Harry, you don't have to try to make me feel better." Neville said thinly. Harry glanced up and snorted.

"I wasn't actually Nev, I was trying to make a point." He said smiling thinly.

"What point?" Neville said with a slight frown. Harry blinked at him and cocked his head to the side.

"Merlin I must be speaking riddles- my point was that I could never be an Herbologist." He said smiling slightly. Neville raised his eyebrows.

"Why not?" He asked curiously. Harry winced slightly.

"I have a frightening tendency to kill plants no matter how tenacious or stubborn." He said snorting lightly.

"HARRY!" Harry turned idly and winced.

"Oh dear I've upset the misus." He said with a frown.

"Harry you do sound like Dumbledore." Neville said amused.

"I do spend a great deal of my time talking to him." Harry admitted mildly. "Can't quite get him to shut up actually-"

"Harry James Potter." Charlie hissed his gold eyes flashing.

"Hi Charlie." Neville greeted shyly.

"Hey Nev." Charlie greeted absently before turning his furious gaze towards Harry. "You were going to get yourself killed like an idiot weren't you?" He accused. Harry lifted his chin.

"Of course not I knew exactly what I was doing, I was going to get my self killed knowing that I was going to get myself killed if I had to get myself killed, fortunately it looks as though I won't be getting myself killed." He said with a nod. Charlie stared at him for a moment before shaking his head.

"I'm seriously taking Dumbledore off the wall of your office." He said shaking his head. "Harry it's all everyone's talking about right now! I got _condolences_ for my _loss_ on my way up here!" He hissed.

"Really? What did you lose?" Harry said dryly.

"_Harry_…" Charlie said furiously. "You pissed off the bloody dark lord, why did you do that Harry? You're in no shape to fight him, haven't I told you to stop trying to piss off dark lords Hart?" Charlie pleaded. Harry raised his eyebrows.

"But I didn't piss off any dark lords Charlie, I pissed off an imposter." He said with a nod. Charlie stared at him for a moment.

"What?" Charlie said softly.

"Huh?" Neville said beside him.

"Of course, why would I piss off the dark lord? I have no intention of fighting him; I'm a headmaster for Merlins' sake! My only focus is in keeping my students safe- pshaw! Fight a dark lord? With this bum leg of mine? Hmph!" He said snorting slightly. Charlie frowned suspiciously.

"So you weren't antagonizing the dark lord?" He said crossing his arms. Harry raised both eyebrows.

"No of course not! In fact I was just telling him about my horrid black thumb wasn't I _Neville_." He said turning to Neville with calm clear eyes. Neville was suddenly quite different from the slightly shy man he'd been moments before. His hunched shoulders were pulled back and his nervous gaze was cold and hooded, assessing him lips drawn into a thin smirk.

"N-Noooo…" Charlie whispered in disbelief.

"I'm going to kill that idiot." Neville said pleasantly before taking a sip of his wine. Harry smiled faintly.

"Funny thing about dark lords is that they choose spineless lackeys as their main supporters, and spineless lackeys have the tendency to look at their masters when they know they've done something wrong- like say, insulting them to their face." He said lifting his own flute of wine in salute. "I almost couldn't believe it though, when you came up to talk to me I felt sure there had to be some mistake." He said shaking his head slowly.

"Oh?" Neville said calmly.

"You made it personal when you turned Ginny, I knew you were testing me, but I ignored it for the most part." He said with a nod. "But you would have been on to me if I had done anything then and I knew it was about time for me to hang my hat any way, my profile of you told me that there would be no use fighting you, after all you'd been preparing for this for years, throwing in odd dark lords to keep me off your scent, tearing my family apart bit by bit while secretly gathering allies. You saw that I was your biggest threat and disabled me before I even had the chance to fight you. Bravo Neville." He said with a tilt of his head. Neville smiled serenely.

"And now?" Neville said with a sly tilt of his head. Harry rose his eyebrows.

"Now? Well that depends Neville, because I really don't want to fight you, I'm tired of fighting battles for people who don't give a damn that I've sacrificed nearly everything for them. I'm a headmaster; you and I both know what it's like to be a child in a war that adults won't fight. This time, this time I don't want these children to fight and this time I don't want to lose anyone. I know you aren't a control freak it doesn't fit your profile, you want acknowledgement so here I am giving it to you. I don't want this war to touch my students Neville, I don't want there to be more orphans like we were and I don't want to have to stand at the graves of children." He said firmly. Neville gazed at him for a moment.

"You want me to leave Hogwarts alone." He said with a nod. "And if I do that we don't have to fight." He said calmly. Harry nodded.

"Precisely." He said just as calmly. "I don't want to fight you Nev, not when I fought beside you once, not when I counted you as a friend." He said shaking his head.

"You've changed…" Neville said suspiciously. "Nothing could change that part of you Harry…everyone has their price but I've taken measures to ensure that what is most precious to you is protected, hasn't been touched so why…?" Harry watched as intelligence crossed his old friend's eyes and became alarmed by the smile that suddenly split across Neville's lips before laughter escaped him. Deep full bodied laughter that filled the air and sent shivers down his spine. What the devil?

"Tell me what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood Harry?" He said laughing loudly. Harry frowned in confusion as Charlie wound his arm tightly around his middle. "Oh this is rich…no wonder! Ha!" Neville shook his head in mirth. "No Potter I won't touch your precious school!"

"You won't?" Harry said in confusion. He'd been expecting a fight, a battle, _something_.

"No, no! Of course not, it's hardly worth it after all!" He said shaking his head.

"It is?" Harry said still confused. Neville looked at him eyes glittering with mirth.

"Tell me Harry who is it that you love most in the world?" He asked grinning. Harry blushed mildly.

"Charlie of course." He said uncomfortably.

"Aha but you _don't_ or rather you _can't_." Neville said knowingly. Harry paled. How did Neville know? How could he know Harry's darkest sins?

"W-What?"" Harry whispered.

"You see Harry I learned a great deal from those other dark lords but one fact remained true no matter what; if Harry Potter knew how to love completely and without regret or judgment than there was no chance for any dark lord to succeed. Tell me Harry that you _love_ Charlie completely and utterly without regret and that you don't get that feeling, as though something isn't quite right in the world but you can't tell what it is." Neville said smirking. Harry stared at Neville in shock and horror.

"Ginny…" Neville snorted.

"No Harry, but it doesn't matter, _you_ don't matter not when you're just as greedy and self serving as any other human being. Go back to your precious school Harry, live out your days in peace and protect your children I won't stop you!" Neville said before turning with a swirl of robes and striding away. Harry stared after him for several long moments.

"What the hell?" He whispered.

"Harry, luv, there's someone I need you to meet." Charlie said quietly his arms wrapped tightly around Harry's waist.

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REVIEW!


	2. Chapter 2

**SEQUEL of A wise man once said**

**So chapter two, I hope you enjoy it, a bit of a heads up I will be unable to check my email for a few days so bear with me if I don't reply immediately. Love you all!**

**warnings;**

**HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONSHIP**

**BLOOD, GORE (NOT TOO MUCH)**

**ANGST**

**SOME RELIGIOUS VIEWPOINTS (NOT NECESSARILY MINE, AND NOT MEANT TO CONVINCE ANYONE OF ANYTHING)**

**right, I think that about covers it, love you all!**

**Mistress Slytherin**

-2-

"Charlie this really isn't funny." Harry said scowling. He was still in his dress robes, he hadn't even been allowed to change before Charlie had dragged him to the apparition point and then proceeded to drag him through the muggle underground, and then into a taxi- where they proceeded to ride for hours without end. Which was where they were now, sitting in the back of the car Harry more than annoyed and more than starving having had nothing bit wine the night before. Charlie ignored him silently, the way he'd been ignoring him since the start of it save to tell Harry to shut up and trust him. Harry sighed tiredly, he hadn't slept for two days either, which back when he was head Auror would have been nothing, but now that he was spoiled by a life as a headmaster…it was exhausting. Just then though the cab pulled to a stop and Charlie hopped out paying the fare without another word.

"Charlie _seriously_." Harry said his patience wearing thin as they began to climb a dirt road that seemed to lead to no where.

"I have to talk to someone and so do you Harry, just, just _trust_ me." Charlie said turning to him suddenly. Harry was struck then by how _broken_ Charlie looked.

"Charlie?" He whispered this time in concern. Charlie pressed his face into Harry's hands when they rose to cup the strong jaw and he could see the man inhale deeply.

"I love you Harry Potter, I love you so much." He whispered before reaching up and grasping one of Harry's hands. "_Please_ just follow me." He begged, Harry nodded slowly and followed Charlie up the hill mindful of his bad leg as they made their way. Harry didn't know how far they walked; only that eventually it was all he could do to keep from collapsing from the pain of it. He was so focused on walking that he didn't notice the large building until Charlie was helping him climb the stone steps. Harry panted as he leaned on Charlie who seemed distracted and jumpy.

"There better not be an ambush Charles Weasley." He panted. "There's no way  
I'm outrunning anyone right now." He panted before taking a deep breath and looking around. All he could see was a white wall and a set of double doors. Before he could figure anything out though Charlie was leading him forward dragging him through the doors.

Harry halted almost the instant he set foot into the large spacious room and an eerie sense of de ja vu washed over him. His heart pounded loudly in his chest and his eyes widened as he stepped further down the long isle unknowingly leaving Charlie behind. His cane made a dull thud as it hit the stone floor and he approached the large tormented figure.

"Ug seriously?" Harry ignored the sound of falling feet as he continued to stare up at the figure on the cross. "Excuse me sir but you're supposed to kneel-" Harry turned slowly as he heard the young man's voice and the boy stared at him in sudden awe his face paling making his auburn hair stand out more clearly.

"Michael." Harry whispered the name popping into his mind as he stared at the child. The boy stared at him with tear filled eyes.

"I thought you'd forgotten us…" The boy whispered covering his mouth before suddenly launching himself at Harry who caught the boy in his arms and felt his heart speed up, as his head pounded violently. Harry gasped as his leg gave out and he fell to one knee shivering at the pain and the nausea.

"FATHER! FATHER!" The boy cried out.

"Michael what have I told you about screaming in the- ….no." Harry felt something shatter at the whispered voice and when his gaze lifted it focused on the front of the man's cloak. He reached out his hand thoughtlessly and his magic rushed to his hand. "Potter no you don't want this-!" The priest was reaching up and clutching the front of his robes even as magic tugged on them.

"He needs it Snape, he needs you." Charlie whispered from where he was leaning against the wall expression broken and tormented. Suddenly Severus flew through the air and the front of his thick robes tore. Harry caught a glimpse of light before the vial broke from the chain holding it and flew into the palm of his hand. The man, Snape stumbled forward and Harry reached out instinctively catching the man who fell into him dragging them both down. Harry's thoughts were racing his heart was pounding and that empty part of him was reaching calling out tugging like an open wound. Harry gasped as the sound of a wax seal cracking open filled the air and the man atop him sat up with wide terrified eyes that stared into his.

_Look at me…_

Harry screamed.

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Severus placed his precious cargo onto the bed flicking his wand this way and that his hands fretting as he summoned a bowl of cool water and a clean washcloth from the bathroom.

"What the hell were you thinking Weasley?!" He snapped as he soaked the washcloth wrung it and gently began to dab the sweat away from the hot forehead.

"I was thinking that he loves you." Charlie said weakly from the doorway as he watched Snape check for Harry's pulse frowning as he timed it. "Even without his memories." He whispered. Dark eyes flashed towards him.

"What do you mean? He was happy, Draco told me so, he told me that the two of you were together, living at Hogwarts and that he was content." He said sharply a deep frown on his lips and a haunted look in his eyes. Charlie nodded.

"I was never going to be the one Snape, neither was Malfoy. Harry has an incredible capacity for love, but even without knowing you he was craving you. He began fighting the memory charms, the old Harry kept peeking through and I was afraid that it would either kill him or drive him mad. I tried to ignore it, but…damn you Snape." He said looking away before the tears could come.

"He was _fighting_ the loss of memory? But that's impossible, I took those memories out completely, I placed them in that vial." Snape said releasing Harry's wrist with a frown before flicking his wand and running diagnostic scans.

"When has Harry ever let impossible stop him?" Charlie said weakly. It was only then that Severus looked up at him.

"How bad was it?" Snape asked quietly, "Tell me everything." He whispered. Charlie nodded and leaned his head back closing his eyes.

"It started almost as soon as he woke up really. He would frown and look around but when we would ask him what he was looking for he couldn't remember. When he'd sleep it was always troubled but hey, he survived a war so I didn't think much of it until he started whispering your name. Then it started happening more often he would stop mid sentence and just stare for a while. We blamed it on the potions first, and then on the stress, curse damage, we found any excuse for it. Sometimes he wouldn't even notice that he was doing it but then for a while it just, stopped." He said softly.

"Stopped?" Severus asked softly. Charlie nodded.

"We thought whatever it was must have settled gone away, but then I noticed other little things. He was restless, his appetite would come and go, I didn't think anything was wrong until he picked up potions as a hobby. I mean you've seen Harry in potions class, he hates them with a passion but he was obsessed with them. He wouldn't stop, day or night no matter what and then just like before it all stopped. Only this time…this time Harry could feel it. Like something out of the corner of his eye he said, something that he knew was there but couldn't quite see." Charlie paused as Harry rolled over with a groan his arm reaching out and clasping Severus' dragging the wide-eyed man closer.

"It's like he's under the influence of a love potion." Severus said with a frown though Charlie noted that the man didn't pull away and instead began to press the wet cloth to Harry's forehead again.

"He's not, what with all the treatments they've been doing on his side his blood work has been consistently checked for pollutants." Charlie said quietly. "He's in love Snape, more in love than anyone I have ever known."

"But he didn't even remember me! To him I never existed!" Severus said frowning.

"Love is more than the memories we make Snape, if I obliviated you right now could you honestly say you wouldn't have felt him missing?" Charlie said pursing his lips. Snape's expression softened and Charlie found that he could actually see the pain there in the man's eyes.

"I did, I had no recollection of what had happened after the dark lord had fallen, but then Harry came and it was…it was like meeting someone that you should know but not remembering their name, infuriating really, but something about them fascinates you. You know them and they have all the answers that you seek and then when you remember their name, everything you ever felt for them comes with it. Only it was different this time, because he wasn't at all what he _should_ have been but he was everything I could admire, and even though it was dangerous, even though I wanted to stop it, knew that I should take measures to stop it- I couldn't. I found myself waiting for him, wondering when he would return, wondering if he was safe, if he had eaten, if he was overworking himself…" Snape trailed off seemingly having forgotten that Charlie was there as he hesitantly caressed Harry's cheek. Charlie felt the sorrow and pain build inside him as he watched, it was too good, to perfect and he knew Snape would love Harry the way Harry deserved to be loved, the way Charlie had loved Harry. Only, Harry would love him in return in a way Harry could never have loved Charlie.

"That's love Snape." He rasped causing the man to snatch his hand back guiltily. "You love him and there's no going back now. Stop fighting it, love him the way he deserves to be loved and heal what no one else can. If you don't then I swear to you I will come back and take him away from you." He said firmly. Snape's reaction to that was instantaneous his body covering Harry's protectively and Charlie smirked to see him flush brightly when he was caught. Snape lifted his chin as he pulled away clearing his throat when Harry's grip on him wouldn't let him go completely.

"I won't be letting him go this time." He said as primly as he could. Charlie snorted and turned giving Harry a lingering look.

"You should know…Neville Longbottom is the dark lord, they took over the ministry yesterday. I don't know how he did it but Harry figured him out almost as soon as he saw him and Neville…he isn't the same." He said with a shiver.

"_Longbottom_?" Snape sneered. "You must be joking." He said wrinkling his nose in distaste.

"No joke, though no one outside of us knows it yet and I doubt they will. Harry said something about a tactic dark lords sometimes used to get rid of their enemies before their enemies knew who they were. Neville has some guy that's acting as the face of the dark lord so that he can watch everyone and see their reactions."

"And he didn't kill Harry?" Snape asked still disbelieving.

"No, he laughed at him." Charlie said gritting his teeth. "He said that he always knew that Harry would defeat the dark lord as long as he possessed his capability to love completely. I think he knew that Harry couldn't remember you, he thinks that Harry has changed." Charlie said with a frown.

"Has he?" Severus asked softly. Charlie hesitated.

"I don't think you realize the impact you had on him Snape. You might think that you weren't important but most of Harry's morals as an adult were fixated on you. The reason he never gave up when he was an Auror was because he knew you would have never given up, the reason he didn't ever compromise on his values was due to you're influence. He wanted to be someone you could be proud of, but without you in his life he was lost. That's how he's been lately, lost, very, very lost all he does know is that he wants to protect Hogwarts and her children no matter the cost. If his leg hadn't been hurt so badly and he'd returned to being an auror I don't think he would have been able to continue without breaking down." Charlie said feeling mildly ill. Severus stared down at the man who even in his sleep was struggling to get closer to him small hands wrapping around his.

"There must be something more to this, some spell or curse that's somehow binding him to me…" He muttered even as he reached out his hand and brushed away a sweaty strand of hair.

"I'd agree." Charlie said softly. "But I've tested his blood samples, I've had a team of medics test them for every possibility and nothing has come up. This kind of love is real Snape; whatever is causing it isn't due to some curse or potion." He said shaking his head. It hurt to say but Snape had to stop doubting this before he hurt Harry.

"There is one thing." Severus said quietly as Harry stirred restlessly on the bed.

"Snape there's nothing I've checked it all-" Charlie said irate.

"The Adavra Kedavra." Severus said softly, reverently. Charlie froze he didn't want to think about how many times Harry had been hit with that particular curse.

"Harry is the only person that the curse is unable to kill." Charlie said with a frown. Snape nodded reluctantly.

"The Potter's relied mainly on James' friends to keep them safe once the dark lord had set his target on them. But most people seem to forget that Lily had a friend too." Severus whispered. Charlie gazed at the man for a long moment.

"You." He said quietly. Snape nodded.

"We became distant, said things that neither of us meant did things that kept us from remaining as good of friends as we were, but the moment I realized that her life was in danger I gave her an option." Snape said shivering slightly.

"The most brilliant witch of her age, what did you give her?" Charlie asked softly.

"My blood, I willingly and ritualistically shed my blood and gave it to her. I met her in secret while Potter was on the field; I told her that it was most probably my own fault that the dark lord was after her child's life." Snape said his eyes growing distant and shadowed. "There are any number of rituals that can be used to kill a person using a vial of willingly shed blood. To be gifted with such a thing is to place one's life in the hands of another, and I did so. I told her that it was her right to kill me, or enslave me, or do anything she willed with that vial of blood and then I left her." Snape whispered. "The next time I saw her she was lying dead in her nursery and Harry was alive."

"What do you think she did Snape?" Charlie demanded. If they could break it, maybe Harry could be his after all, maybe Harry could be happy.

"She did what any mother would do given the means to do so, she protected her child." Snape said lifting Harry's hand and placing a kiss to the knuckles. "She bound us together not through life, but through death." He said sadly.

"I don't understand." Charlie said gritting his teeth.

"Lily was always very clever, she loved puzzles, loved ancient magics no matter if they were light or dark, she also loved to create her own spells and rituals. One of them was a ritual meant for lovers, to bind them together so that should one die the other would die with them rather than withering away without them in hopeless longing. I would be lying if I said that I hadn't suspected it before, after all the very idea is ludicrous, but I can't hide from it now." He said softly. "She changed that ritual, a ritual that is usually powered with life and love. She powered it instead with death and sorrow. Every time Harry is hit with the Adavra Kedavra his life is lengthened rather than shortened, every sorrow he has becomes his strength rather than his weakness."

"And you?" Charlie said when Snape remained silent. "Where do you come in?"

"The spell is made for lovers; however when I surmised that she had given up her life for him I couldn't help but hate him, the spell wasn't meant to be used that way, so it fixed the problem. With every sorrow and ever near death experience he and I were bonded more closely together."

"Can it be broken?" Charlie demanded immediately.

"I'm afraid not." Snape said with pursed lips. "The ritual used is old, very, very old and was meant to be permanent. I had hoped that by removing Harry's memories I would have saved him from the ritual, but that has obviously failed and now…Now I can only hope that he doesn't hate me for being forced to love me." He whispered brokenly. Charlie let out a slow broken laugh.

"Snape you don't know Harry at all if you think that will be the case. I think this- ritual or whatever messed something up inside him, Snape he _can't _hate. And if he can the only person that he could hate would be himself." He said shaking his head. "If anything he'll blame himself for this, as though it's even possible that this could be his fault! Harry will love you Snape and you're a damn lucky bastard for it." He said before turning abruptly and stalking from the room.

He made it about as far as the church doors before falling to his knees and weeping. Harry…his Harry…his Harry was never his though was he? Harry tried, but that was just Harry, he had no control over what was done to him. So Charlie forced himself to stand, to walk, to continue apparating away with the knowledge that at least Harry would finally be happy. They were blameless; all of them, even Harry's mum and that was perhaps the very worst part of it all.

He had nothing and no one to blame his aching heart on.

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REVIEW!


	3. Chapter 3

**SEQUEL of A wise man once said**

**Ugh...exhausted...loooong few days...still my mind is wired maybe I'll write a bit...Love you all!**

**warnings;**

**HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONSHIP**

**BLOOD, GORE (NOT TOO MUCH)**

**ANGST**

**SOME RELIGIOUS VIEWPOINTS (NOT NECESSARILY MINE, AND NOT MEANT TO CONVINCE ANYONE OF ANYTHING)**

**right, I think that about covers it, love you all!**

**Mistress Slytherin**

-3-

Harry woke slowly and immediately winced as the feeling of a hundred wrecking balls smashing into his scull reverberated across his nerves. Slowly he took stalk of himself wondering for the briefest of moments what had happened to him.

Then he remembered.

He lay stiffly as his memories rushed at him relentlessly. Slowly he opened his eyes as things made sense and the shock of it all wore off gradually. Something shifted against his side distracting him and he looked down completely surprised to see a head of black curls pressed against his side pale face slack with sleep.

Celia.

He felt his heart ache as he thought of her, he'd become fond of all of the children at the orphanage, but the two precocious children that he'd met on that first day held a special place in his heart. The children he'd never had but always wanted. He rose his eyebrows as a sleepy mutter and a shift alerted him of the other child that had somehow managed to slip in with him.

Mike.

He felt his fear and anger subside at the sight of the two children and found himself tugging the blanket more firmly around them causing them to snuggle further into their spots by his side clutching at his shirt. His gaze snapped up at the sound of a door creaking open and suddenly he was face with dark endless eyes. His chest ached and anger boiled but was found useless when Snape flinched visibly his expression so torn and broken.

"You have every right to hate me." Snape said looking away. Harry stared at him for a long moment.

"I know." He said quietly.

"I shouldn't have erased your memories." Snape said clenching his jaw in visible pain. "I thought you would be happier without me in your life but I see that it was a mistake- I-I'm sorry." He said looking away.

"Snape." Harry said softly a faint smile lingering on his lips. Dark eyes shot to his and the need in them was raw and powerful, the longing the passion that Harry had hardly been able to dream of. "Come to bed before you freeze to death." Harry said flicking his wrist at the bed which grew wide enough to allow all of them to sleep comfortably. Snape's breath hitched but he nodded and soon crawled in beside Cilia who grumbled faintly before shifting around until she was sprawled across both of them one arm around each neck. Harry smiled faintly. "They've grown so much." He said softly.

"Mike learned to cook, we've been eating better ever since." Snape muttered tiredly causing Harry to snort.

"And your health?" Harry asked lazily.

"Improved with time." Snape said in the stillness.

"You magic?"

"Returned though it isn't as strong as it was." Snape said thoughtfully.

"Still a priest I see." Harry offered. This time there was no response and as Harry glanced over curiously he could just barely see Snape's face, slackened by exhaustion. He huffed slightly and smiled as he relaxed back.

He would punch Snape later.

Harry slept soundly that night for the first time in a long time.

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Molly was the one to catch her son as he stumbled through the door. As big as he was compared to her now, it hadn't surprised her the least when he fell into her welcoming arms and wept. She exchanged a look with Arthur who only nodded sadly in acceptance; they had known for quite some time that Charlie was chasing perhaps the only dragon in existence that couldn't be tamed. Harry was meant for Snape, they'd all seen it at some point during the last two years.

Quietly she sat with her son and rocked him as he told her Snape's theory and nodded slowly in recognition.

"Lily was always the smartest of us girls, the most determined too. I wasn't aware that the two were in communication after school though, rumor had it that they'd gotten in a monumental row and it had ended everything between them- of course I suppose with Severus being a death eater, he couldn't have had anyone knowing about his muggle born friend." Molly said with a slow nod. Her accent ever thick and proud calmed Charlie like nothing else.

"She was always determined too." Arthur said lighting his old pipe and ignoring the glare from his wife. "She used to haul herself up in the library for days on end, not sleeping and not eating until she discovered whatever answer she'd been fussing with. The professors got angry at her a few times for missing class, but they couldn't really scold her when they knew she would turn in the work and it'd be perfect too in the end." He said tapping the bowl lightly before inhaling deeply.

"Fiercely protective too if I remember right, she set up a blood ward around Severus one time to keep him from getting pranked by the maurders- Potter was positively seething with jealousy." Molly said with a chuckle.

"Ah yes, I had forgotten that!" Arthur said brightly. "She had quite a temper too, the headmaster came down on her for performing blood wards in the school, dark magic that, but she stood her ground and told him off! You remember? I swear Molly the headmaster's ears were burning with shame by the time she was done with him!" Arthur laughed jovially.

"'If you would just control that idiot Potter then I wouldn't have to be worried about my friend's safety!'" Molly quoted pointing a furious finger into the air. Before chuckling.

"Ah yes! 'Some dueling champion you are! You can't even get a prepubescent mama's boy to settle down!' Ohohoho! And remember Molly the time she hexed both James and Severus? Everyone knew who did it, but neither of them were willing to say even if it meant they had to stay strung up in the great hall for a day and a half before she finally let them down!" Charlie listened to his parents speak and felt himself calm slowly. The sorrow was there, an ever present gaping wound in his heart, but he'd made his decision when he'd decided to fight for Harry. He wouldn't regret what they'd had together. He would never regret it, for a while, everything had been beautiful and perfect, he could cling to that and know that Harry had loved him, someday he would look back on this and cherish the memories. Quietly, drowning in the sights, smells and sounds of home Charlie fell asleep.

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Harry Potter was perhaps the most forgiving person in existence- was Severus' first thought upon waking up surrounded by the warmth of Potter and the two miscreants that had snuck out of their dorms in the middle of the night. He smiled faintly before slowly and carefully getting up, prying Celia from her place with a sleepy murmur and nudging Michael until the boy grumbled and sleepily woke up wincing under his slight glare. Quietly he managed to get the children to their dorms. After the raids most of the children had been adopted by families that had lost their own children, some of them had grown and were making their way in the world, and just a few remained. Celia and Michael were two of those few. Celia frankly refused to be adopted and Michael what with his copper hair and disposition for trouble had given up on family determined that the only father he wanted was Severus. Severus hadn't really minded, if he were honest to himself he adored the boy who he now recognized to have Harry's precocious nature.

He frowned when he realized that Harry was glaring at him from where he was laying half asleep. He looked like an indignant cat, not that Snape would ever say so- well perhaps. "They can't stay in here every night they need to sleep in the dorms with the others." Severus said pushing the door closed.

"Get back in here you memory snatching child thieving old man." Potter said smirking at him slightly his hair tousled. Severus found that even if he'd wanted to show some sort of self control that it was completely useless the moment the invite was made. His feet moved before his brain comprehended and he flushed as he slipped into the bed unable to keep himself from pulling Potter into his arms. Harry was like a part of him that he'd been missing for far too long. The silence stretched between them but Harry was holding him just as tightly small tremors running up and down his arms. "Never do that again." Harry whispered.

"Never, no I couldn't bear it either, even if you wanted to go back to Charlie I doubt I would let you." Severus said his grip tightening.

"I thought I was going mad." Harry whispered. "They told me it was trauma, but I never believed them, even if it made me paranoid." A hand reached up and traced is face slowly as if not quite believing that it was there, that _he_ was there. "I would lose it sometimes, I would find myself in the dungeons or in your office, I would see you out of the corner of my eye but forget your name before I could call it out. And then I would hurt, I would weep Severus and I wouldn't know why." He whispered. Severus held him tighter and his heart burned with regret.

"Never again." Severus whispered. Harry let out a sob and suddenly leaned into him kissing him ferociously. It felt good, like a draw of water after being thirsty for years, it was safety and burning and all encompassing. It was the sin and the salvation, the tug and pull of right and wrong before the wrong won over and he knew he was lost. Severus welcomed the kiss because there was nothing in the world that could have made him give it up. Harry was his, no matter what, this war hardened hero was his and nothing in hell or on earth could take Harry away from him-

"FATHER!" Severus jerked away at the panicked yell and his eyes widened to see the look of raw fury in Harry's eyes.

"I forgot…" Harry whispered. "Everything I stood by, everything I was, was a reflection of you…of the man I respected and wanted to be." he breathed. "Without it, without you I forgot what it meant to fight until my very last breath." Green eyes gazed at him wide with fear. "I lost my will to fight, that's what Neville meant." And then he was out of the bed hand going to his wand as he strode from the room. Severus watched with shock and awe.

Harry wasn't limping at all.

A short shout broke his shock and in an instant he too was striding out the door regardless of his night shirt and bare feet. Even running at top speed through the halls of the small church Harry had beaten him. Like the trained warrior he was Harry was already sending curses at the intruder and Severus found himself still as he watched him fight. Light after light spell after spell curses that were long lost to time- Harry was brilliant. He watched in stunned silence as Harry dueled the strange man dressed all in black lithe muscular body shifting and turning despite its limitations. Severus jumped when Michael was suddenly jerked from his place on the pew where he'd been tied up and literally _thrown _into Severus' arms knocking them both into the wall.

"You should have stayed in your little school Potter." The stranger said blue eyes flashing. His movements were graceful but twitchy, the bending sliding and turning like the clever jerks of a spider.

"You should have stayed away from politics; your inferiority complex is going to get you killed." Harry said before sending another curse. The man hissed as the curse grazed his shoulder before returning with a flurry of spells. He was no match for Harry though, Severus had seen the man fight before but nothing could have prepared him for an angry vengeful Harry Potter.

Destroyer of Dark Lords indeed.

A blasting curse hit the man squarely in the chest sending him flying backwards and into the wall with a crunching smatter. Severus whispered a soft prayer for the man and found that he was trembling as he held Michael. Harry spun on them immediately striding towards them only to halt a few feet away and turn his head to the side vomiting loudly. Severus winced, that kind of emotional and mental stress on a man who'd just forcibly restored several years worth of knowledge was not kind on the body. But Harry straightened after a moment, winced and wiped at his mouth before crossing the distance between them gathering both he and Mike into his arms. Severus would never ever admit how reassuring the strength in those arms was.

"We have to get you all out of here." He said after a breathless moment.

"Potter this is my home-"

"This is a war Severus, and you'll be then main target."

"No body cares about a prim old priest I hardly present a threat any more-"

"But you do, because I love you and that makes you a threat." Harry said firmly as he pulled back his eyes glittering brightly and suspiciously damp. "I can't lose you again Severus Snape." He breathed.

"The children." Severus said weakly.

"We'll work it out Severus." Harry whispered.

"You're asking me to give up my lively hood I've dedicated my-"

"Yes I am Severus. I'm sorry but there is no way out of this, I can't leave you and you can't stay, if you stay you will be placing these children in danger out of my reach I wouldn't be able to protect you."

"If we go to Hogwarts it will be the same!" Snape said his eyes bright.

"Before I went to the ministry ball yesterday I made certain that the school would be left in good hands, I nearly drained myself pouring my magic into the wards."

"Whose hands?!" Severus snarled.

"Draco Malfoy." Harry said firmly. Severus went still his eyes wide.

"You're mad." Severus said softly.

"He swore an oath to me; the school will be safe in his care after all his son is a student." Severus smiled faintly.

"You knew he'd protect the school if Scorpio was one of the students."

"I knew he'd protect the school if I asked it of him." Harry said grimly. Severus' smile faltered briefly.

"So what then I take the children to the Weasley's again?" He said dryly.

"No! I don't want to go!" Mike said his eyes dark. Harry had nearly forgotten that he was there cradled between them. "Last time you left us there I didn't get to see you again for years!" He accused Harry. "The two of you and Cilia are all I've got." He said his voice growing smaller. Harry felt his breath catch in his throat as he looked down at the boy.

"He's safest closer to us- that man went after Michael specifically." Snape said warily. Harry looked up sharply.

"What about Celia where is she?" He said his heart sinking.

"I left her in the confession booth." Michael said gesturing towards the booth. Harry released Severus and Michael and rushed to the booth unlocking the door. Wide eyes stared up at him first in fear and then in relief before the small girl launched herself at him sobbing in his arms.

"I'll call father Jacobs, he's a priest nearby that I meet for lunch some times, he'll have space for the others, but Celia and Michael should come with us." Severus said softly. Harry held the girl closer and nodded shortly. The hell he was going to leave these two unprotected ever again.


	4. Chapter 4

**SEQUEL of A wise man once said**

**Getting very little in the way of reviews...I don't know if you people hate this or like it...it's unsettling but oh well...and to those of you who are in fact reading this and are curious about some of the other stories that I started posting, I will finish them in time no worries. Happy reading!**

**warnings;**

**HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONSHIP**

**BLOOD, GORE (NOT TOO MUCH)**

**ANGST**

**SOME RELIGIOUS VIEWPOINTS (NOT NECESSARILY MINE, AND NOT MEANT TO CONVINCE ANYONE OF ANYTHING)**

**right, I think that about covers it, love you all!**

**Mistress Slytherin**

-4-

"This must be some sick twisted form of punishment." Snape said wryly as they stepped in the front door. The cottage was as he'd expected quite a bit larger on the inside then on the outside.

"No, the punishment came in having to go through his wardrobe." Harry said as he set their bags down. Albus had left this place to him should he ever take up the mantle of headmaster, it had been a bit of clever wording in the will but Harry had been steadily receiving this or that from the man years after his death. Dark eyes caught his and raked his form which was still dressed in dress robes from the party.

"At least you didn't inherit his taste in clothing." The man said though there was a hint of fire in his eyes that made Harry's heart stop in his chest. "Though from what Draco wrote you apparently gained a bit of his personality." Snape said turning away abruptly.

"Spying on me Severus?" Harry said feeling mildly flattered.

"Always Potter I had to make sure you didn't get into trouble didn't I? Though I hear _Charlie_ did admirably well." He said with a slight sneer. Harry crept up behind the man who was gazing at one of the many book cases.

"Jealous?" He breathed wrapping his arms around the man. Severus' breath caught and a hand reached up cupping his cheek where he rested it against his shoulder.

"Gods yes." The man admitted. Harry felt his heart stop in his chest at the longing that he could hear in the man's voice.

"FAAAATHER!" Snape jumped and Harry let out a grunt as a blur rushed out from no where and collided into him.

"Celia you can't-!" Mike came in after her his expression uncertain and his ears burning.

"I can and I will!" Celia said from where she was wound around Harry's middle. "Daddy, father Mike and I would like you to tuck us into bed and read us a story!" She said with a determined nod. Harry blinked down at her in shock.

Daddy?

"Michael what is the meaning of this?" Snape said though his cheeks were flushed.

Daddy….

Mike winced and rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry sir she's got this idea in her head that since we're taking a nap and all well sir-"

Daddy.

Harry felt a grin spread across his lips. Really she was a bit old to be swung up into his arms and treated like a child but he knew better than most what this all was and what it meant to Celia and Mike.

"What story should we read then?" He said perching her on his hip.

"Harry!" Severus said his eyes wide.

"Oh hush you." Harry said smirking. "I've never been a daddy before." He said tweaking Celia's nose and reaching out his hand for Michael who was staring up at him in shock and awe and hope. His hand shook as it slipped into Harry's and Harry gave it a firm squeeze.

Severus took one look at the love in Harry's eyes and all his protests fell away before they could reach his lips. Something warm settled in his chest as he watched Harry walk away holding Michael's hand and cradling Celia against him. It made forbidden thoughts resurface, thoughts of family, hopes that he'd let die a very long time ago. Still, he mused, if anyone was capable of the impossible it would be Harry Potter.

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"I just can't believe it; I mean this is Longbottom we're talking about!" Blaise said shaking his head. It was odd how things turned out, there would be no Order of the Phoenix this time, no, the group they had was a mix of people Harry and Severus knew could be trusted- people that were trained fighters' killers and politicians.

"I still haven't figured out his agenda, what is it exactly that he wants?" Harry said ignoring the outburst as he looked through the gathered info. "With most dark lords its blood purity or returning to the old ways and rituals with Nev, there is none of that." Harry said staring down at the table.

"You're right, there isn't, he's just having his men kill at random. Mac from upstairs says that he's gathering people, creating an army of sorts." Terry Boot said with a slight frown. "Justin says he's been killing old people, just sends his men in and has them murdered, what kind of twisted fuck does that?" He said with a sneer.

"The kind that hated his gran." Harry said bleakly. "What is this then? Why take over the wizarding world and kill the old people?" He said shaking his head.

"Dumbledore was a major player in the war Harry." Severus noted from where he was sitting. His gaze was dark. "There is no political agenda…" He muttered frowning.

"Then why take over the ministry?" Harry asked curiously.

"To show that he can." Severus said softly. "This is more than a dark lord Harry, more and less, this is a man who's been the underdog for all his life, this is someone who is thirsty to prove himself." His eyes darting up to catch Harry's as the same though crossed both their minds.

"This is a man that couldn't have done it by himself." Harry breathed.

"God no, you mean there's someone else?" George said his face torn.

"He wouldn't be lashing out at the elderly if he was the one behind this- it's just like Ginny, someone's given him the means to do this and he resents that he's paranoid, lashing out his outlet are the aged, anyone who reminds him of his gran, anyone who reminds him that he is a failure and can't do this by himself." Harry said calmly. "He isn't a dark lord, he's a serial killer." He said grimly.

"So what do we do?" Bulstrode asked her mouth drawn into a tight line.

"We keep in mind that he's not our real target, we make him tell us who the real dark lord is." Severus said coolly.

"And how do we do that?" George said frowning.

"Charles Dickens." Harry said smirking. "A Christmas Carol."

"What?"

"We show him the past, the present and the future." Severus said in understanding.

"We invite him to tea." Harry said with a nod. "Right, keep our information pool deep, find out anything you can without endangering yourselves. Do what you can to keep the elderly safe, George could you pay a visit to Minerva and give her a fair warning?" Harry asked as the others began to slip out of the room at the dismissal.

"What? And imply that she's old? Are you nutters?" George said snorting.

"It would be too suspicious if I went." Harry smirked.

"You know between you and me I think Professor McGonagall is more dangerous than Neville ever could be." George said his lips twitching just faintly at the corners.

"Between you and me I happen to agree." Harry said with a wink.

"Alright I'll go, but you'll be the one to warn mum and dad." George said mildly.

"Molly Weasley old? Never!" Harry said smirking. George snorted and pat him on the back. "Just do it little brother." He said rubbing Harry's head before slipping out of the room with the others.

"I get the feeling that I should stop you from doing something that will potentially get you killed." Severus said dryly once they were alone again.

"But you won't?" Harry said amused as he gathered up the pile of notes from the meeting.

"Of course not." Severus said mildly. I know you'll be careful this time." He said smirking. Harry crossed his arms in amusement.

"Oh?" He asked curiously. Severus had been a bit shy the last few days, preferring to sleep in a separate room though he always found Harry at some point in the night. Yet now here he was scooting closer to him his gaze glittering and curious. "How do you know that?" Harry asked reaching up and brushing his fingers across a sharp cheek bone.

"One word Potter." Severus said pulling away a coy look on his face that made Harry's heart stop.

"Oh?" Harry breathed. "What word?" He asked reminding himself that he really should get back to the paperwork he'd just been handed.

"Daddy." Severus said smirking as he slipped out of the room. Harry felt his heart stutter to a stop as the word echoed through his entire being.

Damn it all but Snape was right.

It hit him hard.

He had a family again.

"Damn you Severus." He breathed feeling his chest squeeze and ache. Snape was right, there was nothing in this world that would make him risk leaving Michael and Celia alone the way he'd been left when his parent's died. There was nothing in this world that would let him let Neville win either, not when it meant his children's future.

And Snape knew it.

He sank into his chair and listened to the sound of laughter as it echoed through his mind.

Damn.

#$% #$% #$%

It was a nice afternoon, there was a slight breeze in the air but it was warm enough that a sweater was all Harry needed. The club was one Harry only ever frequented for meetings such as this one. As far as he was concerned politics had no place in Hogwarts and war certainly needed to stay very, _very_ far from home.

"Harry." Neville said sliding into the seat across from him. Harry shifted his cane so that it was in his other hand before reaching across to shake Neville's hand. He didn't really need it any more he'd found. Most of the pain was mental and the rest of it manageable. "You seem content." Neville said pouring his tea.

"That's because I am content." Harry said taking a sip of his own tea. "I love this place, this little garden is so peaceful- I think more tea houses aught to have gardens." He said watching as a cat stalked a butterfly near the rose bushes.

"So you didn't just pick it for me then?" Neville said wryly as he took a sip. Harry glanced at him and snorted.

"These aren't exactly the sort of plants you work with are they?" Harry said amused.

"Why did you call me for tea then?" Neville said coolly. Harry glanced at him with a frown.

"Nev, we meet for tea at least once a month, we have since the war was over." He said snorting. Neville stared at him for a moment.

"Yeah we meet- with the others; I gathered that this was a private sort of meeting." He said frowning. Harry smiled wryly.

"Well most of us have drifted haven't we? It's funny, I was so busy trying to save the world that I hardly noticed how many times _I_ was the one to have to turn you guys down." He said sighing. "Luna's off looking up some creature, she sends her love." Harry said lifting his tea and taking a sip. "George…well it's always been hard for him to join us hasn't it? Most everyone from his year died, and there was Fred too- I miss Fred." Harry said setting his cup to the side.

"And Ron." Neville said a note of sadness in his voice.

"Yes." Harry said his voice strangled. "And Ron." He said softly.

"It still hurts then?" Neville said quietly. Harry smiled thinly.

"They all hurt Neville, every single one of them." He said mildly. "I went to their graves earlier, the grass is grown and their markers are starting to look old- I hired a man to polish them for me. It's funny how when we get older our memories only seem to sharpen it seems like just yesterday we were in the common room playing exploding snap. We were just kids- sometimes I visit the Gryffindor common room and I can almost see them." He had to stop his chest was tight and his eyes damp. Neville was the same though and Harry suddenly found it hard to believe that he was capable of being a dark lord.

"Remember first year?" Neville said smiling faintly. "You and Ron were going to sneak out and I tried to stop you- heh you stunned me." He said smirking. "Probably a good thing you did though, if I had managed to stop you then you wouldn't have been able to save the school. You lot were always doing that, going off on adventures, saving the day." He said shaking his head. Harry took a sip of his tea and hummed before reaching into his pocket and pulling out the small glass sphere. "A rememberall?" Neville said surprised. Harry nodded and stared into the grey swirling smoke.

"I picked it up one day about a year ago." Harry said mildly. "I didn't know why at the time, aside from the memory of wiping that smirk off Draco's face." He snorted. He handed it over to Neville who frowned when it turned red. Harry chuckled. "Looks like you've forgotten something Nev." He said idly. He watched as dawning horror crossed Neville's features.

"Potter!" Harry would never admit that his heart skipped a beat at Severus' appearance. The man looked exactly as he had all those years ago in Potions striding across the garden scowling his old teaching robes billowing out around him.

"Severus I thought you were going to wear the cardigan." Harry pouted though his eyes raked the man's form any way.

"Brat." Severus stated before pecking him on the lips and sliding into the seat beside him. Neville was ashen as he sat across from them. Severus gave him his worst sneer which Harry noted wasn't really fake at all. "Longbottom." The man drawled out. Neville's eyes flashed between them and he looked ready to run.

"Oh do get over it Neville, he's hardly going to attack you." Harry said mildly.

"I thought you were with Charlie." Neville said weakly.

"I was, until I remembered." Harry said evenly.

"You aren't going to attack me?" Neville sounded like a blubbering student again. Good.

"You're hardly worth it Longbottom, a screw up like you won't survive for very long anyway." Severus sneered as he poured himself tea.

"Oh be nice Severus look how beautiful the day is." Harry said snatching the man's hand and brushing a kiss across his knuckles.

"You didn't just spent the last hour and a half trying to explain why there was a dark lord smeared on my parish wall to the muggle authorities, really Longbottom aren't you a bit old to be making messes?" He snapped.

"Really Neville I have to agree the man you picked to be your face to the media was hardly dark lord material, it took me all of two minutes to get rid of him." Harry said sipping his tea. "And I'm a cripple." He sneered. Neville looked on edge now, ready to run, attack, do something.

"I thought you said you weren't going to fight in this war Harry." He said his eyes flickering between them.

"I'm not." Harry said mildly. "I killed that man because he went after my most precious person." Harry said turning his gaze to meet Neville's dead on. "_You're_ hardly a threat; you can turn the Ministry into a police state and do what you like with politics I don't care. But killing elderly people?" He snorted. "That's just pathetic even for you." He said shaking his head. "No, I don't have to fight a war here; it'll turn out just like all those botched potions in school. Without Hermione whispering in your ear back then without your inside help now you don't even qualify as a dark lord in my books. You're just an insidious prick whose forgotten why all of his friends are dead." He said setting down his tea. "You're a disappointment Neville you can't do anything by your self, you just make a mess and expect the rest of us to clean it up." He stood slowly and leaned heavily on his cane for show. "This isn't potions any more Neville, and for once it doesn't have to be Snape or your gran that tells you how big a disappointment you are- it's me. So I'm just going to sit back and wait for it to explode." Harry said grasping Severus' hand.

"You too Professor Snape? No comments from you?!" Neville said his expression enraged. Snape looked down his nose at Neville and sneered.

"Longbottom, I've retired, if you want to blow up cauldrons and generally prove what an idiot you are to the world then go right ahead, I'll hardly take points for something I knew would happen from the day you entered my class. Whatever hope I might have had in your parent's skills showing through you was ruined long ago." He said mildly before turning and wrapping an arm around Harry's waist. "Come on Harry, I have a solicitor coming over in half an hour and I should very much like a proper snog after the morning I've had." Harry smirked; he did love it when Severus got all riled up.

"Finally going to publish some of those essays you've written? Merlin I shouldn't have let you back into the wizarding world, you're going to revolutionize the potions making industry." He said lightly as they wandered away from Neville.

"So how did I do daddy?" Severus said into his ear as they stepped into the main hall of the tea house.

"Wonderfully." Harry said smirking as they headed for the floo. "Between you and I we managed to push every button- that bit about potions was the cake though. Reminding him that-" Harry's voice cut off and his face fell.

"Harry?" Severus said in immediate concern. Harry shook his head but the horrible sinking feeling didn't go away.

"Severus." He said softly his hand coming up to grasp the man leaning on him for support.

"Harry love what is it?" Severus looked panicked his dark eyes searching.

"The pieces just fell into place." Harry said sadly. Severus searched his gaze.

"And?" He demanded.

"Let's go home Sev, I want to go home." Harry said turning his face away. Severus gazed at him for a moment longer before nodding and guiding him through the floo.

"Daddy!" Celia rushed for him the moment he stepped through and Harry caught her up into his arms holding her tightly.

"Harry! Jesus!" George cried out as a sob scraped through him and escaped past his lips as he held his little girl in his arms.

"Daddy?" Celia said petting his hair gently as he cried.

"Harry!" Severus said in shock as he stepped through the floo.

"Father why is daddy crying?" Celia asked her eyes wide as she clung to him. Severus wrapped his arms around Harry and carefully guided him to the couch.

"I don't know Celia." Severus said pulling Michael into his side when the boy edged towards them in concern.

"Sev." Harry said swallowing loudly. "Who knew me the best in Hogwarts? Who did we know that was close to me that had above average intelligence? Who was Ginny's best friend? Who helped Neville in nearly every class-?" He broke down again as Severus' face turned chalk white.

"My god." George said softly.

"Hermione Granger." Severus breathed.


	5. Chapter 5

**SEQUEL of A wise man once said**

**Happy reading!**

**warnings;**

**HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONSHIP**

**BLOOD, GORE (NOT TOO MUCH)**

**ANGST**

**SOME RELIGIOUS VIEWPOINTS (NOT NECESSARILY MINE, AND NOT MEANT TO CONVINCE ANYONE OF ANYTHING)**

**right, I think that about covers it, love you all!**

**Mistress Slytherin**

-5-

Harry sighed as Severus slipped in beside him. This time, when he reached out, Severus didn't shy away from him. Hesitantly the man leaned over him and with a hitch in his breath he leaned forward, dark eyes glittering before they slipped shut and lips met. It was tender, a clinging lingering kiss that was simply there for a moment, suspended between them to remind them that they were there. Severus was the one to deepen it, he was gentle coaxing and Harry nearly wept from the emotion playing about in dark eyes when eyelids parted slightly. Their gaze was reverent, and begging a question that Harry couldn't hope to answer. But he found that he didn't have to. Severus leaned in again and this time the kiss turned hungry, Harry could hear Severus inhale deeply his hands tangling in his hair as he trembled. Harry wound his arms around Severus and kissed back with equal passion his hands tracing scars and lingering where they slid until Severus ground down and a moan escaped both of them. Severus kissed him desperately then letting out a small sound as Harry surrendered and returned the kisses with passion and love his eyes leaking tears as his entire body seemed to scream for more.

"I love you Harry." Severus whispered against his lips before whispering a spell that opened him up and made him slick. Fingers entwined with his and Harry gasped for breath.

"Severus!" he breathed begging the man with his eyes.

"Say it? Please Harry I want to hear it from you every day for the rest of our lives I'll never tire of hearing it please!" Severus breathed groaning when their arousals brushed against each other accidentally.

"I love you Severus, Merlin I love you, I will always love you- please Sev- I need-!" Severus kissed him again before shifting his breath halting audibly in his throat as he brushed Harry's entrance before slowly breathlessly easing his way in. It was perfect, it was everything Harry had ever needed, it was everything he could possibly want and more. The intensity, the rawness of it all brought tears to his eyes and when he looked up he saw that Severus was the same. Severus squeezed his hand tightly in understanding before slowly beginning to move. It felt like Harry was breaking apart, as though everything he'd ever felt was being healed and he knew that this was where he belonged. The passion was there like an indelible force pushing them and making it impossible to think past the pleasure and the ache and the intimacy of it. Harry never wanted to let go, he knew that having this once would never be enough. The slide and glide of nerves and tense longing built quickly and soon Severus was gasping in his ear and he couldn't help the sounds that escaped him as he clung tightly to the man kissing him for all he was worth and finding himself higher and higher closer and closer until he was there clinging to Severus as they came a litany of unintelligible words escaping him as he went taught. He could feel the man inside him scalding, burning as he finished his body holding Harry so tightly that he could hardly breathe but it was fine Harry noted dizzily. He'd forgotten to breathe a while ago. He sank into another kiss and held Severus close.

This…this…

He was never letting this go again…

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"I'm almost jealous." Severus murmured as Harry fit the small buttons into place. Harry hummed and tilted his neck to the side as strong arms came around him and lips found his neck over the high collar of his robes.

"I still don't know why they need _me_ there." Harry said turning into Severus and holding him tightly.

"They know you had something to do with it, you had to have, Longbottom was doing too well until you took him down several pegs." Severus drawled.

"If only all dark lords could be destroyed with a few well chosen words." Harry said with a sigh. Severus gazed down at him concern evident in his eyes.

"Are you certain you don't want me to go with you?" He asked his lips drawn into a thin line. Harry smiled sadly and shook his head.

"It has to be me, that is what she wanted in the end." He said softly.

"Surely she will have figured out that you know." Severus said frowning.

"No, she would have anticipated this happening with Neville all along." Harry said shaking his head.

"He stopped listening to her advice and it effectively blew up in his face the way we expected it to but she would have noticed that it happened only _after_ talking with us." Severus said frowning.

"She's clever not omniscient." Harry said wryly. "Honestly I don't know what to expect when I see her, we haven't spoken in so long, I don't know who she is any more." He said sadly.

"She's sick Harry; you can't blame yourself for this." Severus said pressing a kiss to his forehead. Harry smiled and relaxed into Severus' hold.

"Maybe." He said softly before sighing.

"Don't do anything foolish Harry." Severus said softly before brushing their lips together and stepping away. Harry smiled. It was hard for Severus, he wasn't used to casual relationships like this but there was a draw between them that was impossible to ignore. They needed those small touches, and long kisses.

"I love you Severus." Harry said smiling softly. Severus paused by the door and a familiar look of awe and love crossed his features as he glanced back at him.

"And I love you." He said twin spots appearing on his cheek bones.

#$% #$% #$% #$%

Harry stepped into the court room and heard the room fall silent in respect. Really it was a bit much, he hadn't even done anything this time but he supposed they would assume what they wanted either way, even without some glorious battle.

"Harry, please! Harry I didn't mean it!" Neville started straining against the chains.

"I have nothing left to say to you Neville." Harry said softly. "You've done this to yourself." He said shaking his head.

"No! No Harry you don't understand it was mppmh-!" Harry whirled sharply and watched with horror as Neville's tongue swelled out of his mouth while he gestured wildly. The guards sprang forward calling for a medic but it was no use, Harry knew that spell. He rushed towards Neville and grasped his hand when panicked eyes turned towards him.

"I'm sorry Neville, I'm so sorry." He whispered as Neville's lips turned purple and his eyes bulged. Neville squeezed his hand and tears leaked from his eyes before they turned glassy and then went dull. Harry stared down at Neville with numb tired resignation before standing and turning to the crowd. She was clutching the banister a look of bitter coldness in her eyes a tightness around her mouth.

"Well, I suppose that ends this court session, time of death?" Madam Bones, as prim as ever demanded.

"I'm afraid that it isn't over yet." Harry said softly. The room fell silent and all eyes turned to him. Hermione paled but her lips pulled into a sneer.

"You should have been the one to die Harry. We gave up everything for you Ron and I." She said gripping the banister.

"Yes, perhaps you're right." Harry agreed.

"NO!" She screeched. "You can't pull that Harry James Potter! You can't get all sad and agreeable now! Not after everything!"

"You wanted me to suffer." Harry said softly.

"YES!" Harry nearly flinched. That hurt. "I wanted you to _suffer_ to lose everything the way I lost everything! You _kill_ everything you touch Harry! You don't care who goes down along the way as long as you catch the bad guy!"

"You drugged Ginny." Harry said softly.

"Yes, but before that! Before that I made you sterile did you know that Harry!?" Harry stared at her in horror. "You killed Ron! Without him I lost my baby-! She let out a sob. "I never wanted to see this world again after that!" She hissed. "I couldn't just let you be happy though, not when I was alone, not when I had lost everything to you and your fucking hero complex!"

"You gave Ginny a way to have her revenge on me, and then you did the same for Neville…you've been planning this for years but I didn't want to see it." He said bitterly. He felt like his heart had been torn in two, like some part of him was irreparably broken.

"Yes. I would have kept going too Harry, I would have taken everything from you." She snarled before smirking. "I _will_ take everything from you." She hissed.

"DADDY!" Harry felt his heart stop.

Celia.

He didn't think he _couldn't_ think.

All he could see was someone holding his Cilia at knife point.

The doors slammed open behind him.

"Harry! They found the house-!" George hollered looking pale.

"DADDY HELP!" Celia was scared, sobbing.

Daddy.

He lifted his hand and felt the power explode from his hand. The man didn't have a chance to move, there wasn't even a color to the spell, in an instant his head was exploding gore splattering against the walls. In the next instant Harry had Celia tucked into his chest shivering and crying.

"Get your fucking hands off of me-" Harry turned his gaze towards Hermione. He itched to pull out her wand and stop her.

Daddy.

He grit his teeth and looked down at Celia who was shaking in his arms.

"HARRY!" Severus cried out. There was blood on his shirt and Michael was clutched in his arms pale as a sheet.

God no.

Harry had never been a religious man.

But he _prayed_.

He rushed towards them his wand already out. The medics were surrounding Severus but he wouldn't allow them near Michael Harry knew he wouldn't.

"I'm here Severus let me see." He heard himself say. His voice was oddly distant.

Michaels' lips were turning blue.

He was a machine now, spell after spell potions from Snape's pockets, the sounds of shouting behind him, Celia clinging to him. They couldn't have his family. He wouldn't allow it. Even if it was impossible.

Nothing was impossible.

His blood was rushing in his ears. He felt himself relax when the color came back into Michael's lips and the boy gazed around with dazed eyes.

"Da-daddy? Father?" He breathed slowly. Severus was weeping pulling Michael into his arms and rocking him back and forth. Harry pried Celia away and pushed her gently into Severus' arms before standing slowly. There was an odd buzz in the back of his mind. He turned and felt faint, nauseous and so angry that it _burned_.

He felt like he had that night when he'd looked around him and discovered that victory was watching your best friend die and knowing that it was your fault. He clenched his fists and felt the tears roll down his cheeks. There would be no grand battle. He knew it and Hermione knew it the moment she caught sight of him. She was dueling five fully trained Aurors but they were nothing to her and he knew it, he'd seen her fight. Her eyes widened when they saw him though and her first response was to run.

Harry's blood _burned_.

His hand shot out and her eyes widened but she didn't die. Every part of him wanted her to- every part except one.

The one that knew his family was behind him.

In an instant she was bound tightly head to foot, in another instant he did the only cruel thing he could allow himself to do, he stripped her of her magic. Hermione let out a scream and Harry panted as he held himself back.

He realized then how close he was to becoming the next dark lord.

He lowered his hand and watched her weep and tear at them as they struggled to take her away.

"Harry." Severus said softly. Harry turned and gathered them all into his arms.

"That's it Severus." He said though he knew there were others that heard him. "I have no mercy left in me." He breathed. "If _anyone_ gets it in their head that they want to be a dark lord, I will kill them." He breathed clutching them closer.

"Harry." Severus said his voice slightly alarmed but mostly exhausted.

"Lets go home Severus." He whispered lifting Michael and Celia into his arms. George met them at the door looking grim and pale.

"All right there George?" Harry asked tiredly. George nodded slowly.

"Patched me up right away…Harry…I'm sorry…" He said his lips trembling.

"So am I George." Harry said his breath hitching.

"See you later?" George said wearily.

"Yeah, later." Harry said his smile failing him.

-6-

Harry stared at the icon with dull sad eyes, Hermione had been given the kiss, Neville was buried, Draco had come out of hiding, Lucius was finally free to come back to life and wreak havoc on the ministry again. It seemed so long ago that he'd stepped into this hall and walked the isle to stare at this very icon in wonder. He'd been so proud back then, to think he had any likeness with the man on the cross. He could hear Michael in the kitchen scolding Severus for even thinking of touching the stove. Somewhere in the distance he could hear Celia singing as she cleaned and packed. But here, in this room he was alone, or at least there weren't any other people with him.

He was alone to think.

For the first time since he'd received that blasted invitation to the Ministry Ball he had time to think about everything.

Some of it made him want to scream.

As they investigated Hermione the charges against her grew and grew. She was sick, he knew that. He hadn't known she was pregnant, Ron probably hadn't known either or he wouldn't have jumped in front of that curse- or at least that was what Harry assumed. The loss of the baby, the loss of Ron, the trauma of having fought a war and been exposed to the dark lord and all his atrocities- it was no wonder she'd cracked.

It didn't stop him from wanting to hurt her.

And that was why he was here.

"Dad?" Michael's voice carried and Harry found it hard not to smile as Michael gazed up at him curiously.

"I think I finally understand now Michael." Harry said softly as he tugged the boy to his side.

"Understand what?" Michael asked curiously. Michael and Celia still had nightmares about that day, Harry wished he could keep them safe even in their dreams but he knew he couldn't. With careful motions he knelt down on the floor.

"I understand why I'm supposed to kneel Michael." He said softly. Michael stared at him for a long moment before joining him.

"Yeah?" Michael said smiling.

"Yeah." Harry said looking back up at the cross.

He was just a man- that was all.

"Dad?" Michael said leaning into his side.

"Yeah?" Harry said wrapping an arm around the slim shoulders.

"I love you." Michael said blushing brightly. Harry felt his heart swell.

"I love you too son." He breathed.

-fin-


End file.
